E320 Coolant smell
 

I am noticing a coolant smell inside (and outside I think) on my 1994 E320. What is the best way to find the leak or confirm it's coolant?

How hard is it to change the heater core if that is what the problem is?

Thanks

A coolant pressure test is usually the best way of determining where your car is leaking coolant from, however unless you're prepared to do the heater core replacement then I wouldn't do the test as pressurizing the cooling system may make the leak worse.

I believe that heater core replacements on the W124's are a 22 to 24 hour job, and not for the inexperienced DIYer. Expect your car to look like this at some point:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...0&d=1105919353

If you decide to do it yourself, you may find this thread useful: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/121523-124-evaporator-core-replacement-help.html. There's a lot of other stuff inside there that you may wish to consider replacing (vacuum pods spring to mind) at the same time.

I think mine has developed a leak as I've been to my indy twice this month because of a loss of coolant and it's still slowly leaking out of somewhere. If I attempt this repair myself, it will be my biggest job by far.

No, it's not nearly that bad. You don't actually need to drop the steering column. :cool: Somewhere I have buried a photo of my old 124 wagon looking very much the same.

Seriously, the heater core is inside the same box as the a/c evaporator. It's essentially the same job to replace either one. So all the discussions around evap replacement in a 124 also apply to heater core replacement. Given the labor you want to make darn sure the heater core is the problem before tackling the job.

On the other hand, ethelyne glycol (AKA anti-freeze) is quite poisonous, and delivering it as a vapor is the most effective way to deliver it to your body. I personally wouldn't ride in a car with a leaking heater core.

- JimY

Actually it is as bad as pictured. I believe that is a picture of my car when I did the evaporator. Some people say you have to pull the steering wheel, when all you have to do is lower it. That was actually about the easiest part of the job.

I think it might be your car as I did take the link from another thread.

I've heard similar stories about the steering wheel also - it has to be either removed or the entire column lowered in order to remove the dash.

I did my vacuum pods in the summer of '06, in my 124 wagon and I didn't need to pull or lower my steering wheel to get the dash off. I just extended it all the way out and the dash slipped up over it. I know the FSM says to remove it, but I already had enough parts spread over one bay of my garage. I'm not that skilled a diyer, so I'm not sure how I did it. I wish I had taken some pictures.

Actually, all you really have to do is extend the steering wheel all the way out. Witness the attached photo of oh-so-slightly-less chaos. This is the evap replacement in my 1987 300TD wagon.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...9&d=1181311096

- JimY

Presumably that trick only works if you have a telescoping/tilt wheel?

Geeezzz,,, 2 bolts to lower the stinking steering wheel,,, no big deal,,,, maybe 1 extra minute,,, gets the wheel completely out of the way,,,, 1 minute to put it back where it was,,, gives you all the room you could ever want,,,,, makes it look worse than it really is so you can charge more money if you do it for someone else.

OK, ya got me there. :twak:

All 124s (at least in the US) have telescoping steering columns. None have tilting.

- JimY